Bachelors degree in Biology, what can you do with it?

I feel like like such an idiot right now. I have a BS in Biology. After I graduated, I followed a totally different path.
I know a friend of mine has a friend who also got her BS in biology and works in some company shaving pigs and working with animals, she feels like her BS in Bio was not needed.
I mean what job can I get now, right away with a bio degree? I don't have experience in research or some direct bio field. I wanted something that would be a good career path with potential to grow.
Now, I'm trying to finish an MLT program. I should have tried entering an MT program at least, but I chose the MLT program for various reasons, despite the good advice I got here on these forums. Everywhere I search, they want MTs not MLTs. I'm going to be an oddball, an MLT with a BS in Biology.
I feel like I screwed up and it's just getting worse and that most of my decisions just get worse because of desperation. I feel like schools are just there to take money.

According to this, you can sit for MT after one year of lab experience. Please check with your state.

Yeah, it's not the MLT itself, it's just that I felt that a BS in Biology could have provided other oppotunities, but I just feel like it went nowhere. But a lot of it is my fault, probably all of it. I blame schools because I felt like sometimes the people who are suppose to guide you (like academic couselours) don't know anything about the field.

Biology is such a large field. People in my class ended up in all kinds of industry (environmental, medical laboratories, pharmaceutical, universities lab, chemical companies, clinical research). But most go for graduate schools to get more specialized education.
I worked for a CRO after finishing college but the pay is not that great. But once you get experience, you can go to pharmaceutical companies that pay more. Three technicians in my group got a job at Abbott after they did a year or two at a CRO. If you can relocate, check out these big CROs (Covance, Charles River). For entry level they will train you in one of the field - toxicology (small animal, large animal, acute, reproductive, etc), clinical chemistry,necropsy,etc..
I am not a couselor, just sharing my experience. Hopefully, others will do the same. Good luck!

I feel your pain honey. I got a B.S. in Biological Sciences in 2003 and graduated with a year of laboratory experience in an environmental laboratory. I worked with analytical instruments and all that good stuff and still couldn't find anything to do. I didn't want to work in an environmental lab. I wanted to work in a pharmaceutical/clinical/toxicology setting and was screwed. I was angry at the advisors as well becausee I kept saying I really wanted to work with pharmacology/pharmaceutics and all they were concerned with was my class schedule and making sure I graduated. No career advice what so ever! Not even advice on what to do when I am done with undergrad-what to do next? I feel like my degree is worthless because I've had it for five years and worked in two academic labs post-bacc making crumbs....not enough for cookies all to end up in a post-bacc MT clinical program. What makes me even more pissed is my university had a MT program and I was told that getting a B.S. in Biology or Chemistry would be sufficient to work in a hospital lab. It is one "route" you could go I was told. Not that this was completely wrong, it's just that my advisor should have added the fact that I needed to do a post-bacc clinical hospital based program. I feel like years have been wasted and some avenues shouldn't have been walked. The flip side is that I did get the opportunity to work in pharmacology research and publish a paper! Ultimately I want to be a clinical pharmacist so I can teach, consult, educate and write clinical pharmacology inserts for drug info pamphlets. I wanted to do it in stair steps- medical laboratory, reasearch, then PharmD-simply because I'm a lab rat and I love the drugs:). So many people from my school returned for either a nursing degree or MT degree. One of my classmates did go the route you are going-go to CC MLT program post grad and got a job in TX with Abbott as an MT II.

Lynn in Melbourne, Florida said:Biology is such a large field. People in my class ended up in all kinds of industry (environmental, medical laboratories, pharmaceutical, universities lab, chemical companies, clinical research). But most go for graduate schools to get more specialized education.
I worked for a CRO after finishing college but the pay is not that great. But once you get experience, you can go to pharmaceutical companies that pay more. Three technicians in my group got a job at Abbott after they did a year or two at a CRO. If you can relocate, check out these big CROs (Covance, Charles River). For entry level they will train you in one of the field - toxicology (small animal, large animal, acute, reproductive, etc), clinical chemistry,necropsy,etc..
I am not a couselor, just sharing my experience. Hopefully, others will do the same. Good luck!

It was a preclinical CRO. I worked as a research associate for toxicology services, and then a regulatory report writer. I moved around because of my husband's job so now I have to look for another job and looking into clinical research.

I saw Walt Disney has numerous animal program internship openings right now. If I am a newly graduate, that is definitely a place I would like to work. I doubt they will hire me now!

Oh Ok..Good luck with your search. I've had people to contact me because somehow they got my resume from the internet or something stating they were CRO or recruiters for CRO. I believe it was scam because everytime I tried to return their calls or respond to an email, I get a generic voicemail message.

CRO in this case stand for a contract research organization. If you are serious about working for a CRO, I think the fastest way is to apply directly at their websites. Here is something I copied from Wikipedia. As you can see, there are lots of oppertunities within the industry.

-----A Contract Research Organization (CRO) is a service organization that provides support to the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. CROs offer clients a wide range of "outsourced" pharmaceutical research services to aid in the drug and medical device research & development process.[1] In the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations state that a CRO is "a person [i.e., a legal person, which may be a corporation] that assumes, as an independent contractor with the sponsor, one or more of the obligations of a sponsor, e.g., design of a protocol, selection or monitoring of investigations, evaluation of reports, and preparation of materials to be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration." [21 CFR 312.3(b)]

Services offered by CROs include: product development, formulation and manufacturing; clinical trial management (preclinical through phase IV); clinical, medical and safety monitoring; preclinical, toxicology, and clinical laboratory services for processing trial samples; data management, biostatistics and medical writing services for preparation of an FDA New Drug Application (NDA), Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA), or Biologics License Application (BLA); regulatory affairs support; and many other complementary services. CROs range from large, international full service organizations to small, niche specialty groups and can offer their clients the experience of moving a new drug or device from its conception to FDA marketing approval without the drug sponsor having to maintain a staff for these services.[2]

Lynn in Melbourne, Florida said: CRO in this case stand for a contract research organization. If you are serious about working for a CRO, I think the fastest way is to apply directly at their websites. Here is something I copied from Wikipedia. As you can see, there are lots of oppertunities within the industry.

-----A Contract Research Organization (CRO) is a service organization that provides support to the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. CROs offer clients a wide range of "outsourced" pharmaceutical research services to aid in the drug and medical device research & development process.[1] In the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations state that a CRO is "a person [i.e., a legal person, which may be a corporation] that assumes, as an independent contractor with the sponsor, one or more of the obligations of a sponsor, e.g., design of a protocol, selection or monitoring of investigations, evaluation of reports, and preparation of materials to be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration." [21 CFR 312.3(b)]

Services offered by CROs include: product development, formulation and manufacturing; clinical trial management (preclinical through phase IV); clinical, medical and safety monitoring; preclinical, toxicology, and clinical laboratory services for processing trial samples; data management, biostatistics and medical writing services for preparation of an FDA New Drug Application (NDA), Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA), or Biologics License Application (BLA); regulatory affairs support; and many other complementary services. CROs range from large, international full service organizations to small, niche specialty groups and can offer their clients the experience of moving a new drug or device from its conception to FDA marketing approval without the drug sponsor having to maintain a staff for these services.[2]

Yea the CRO I'm referring to claimed to be 'contract research organization'

AWWWW...sorry to hear that sharon; however, I feel your frustration. I've been there. As a result, I'm starting MT clinicals at a hospital based program in August and I'm paying out of pocket. I have gone back for a year myself post-bacc trying to 'find my way' so to speak b/c bio wasn't as good to me as I had expected it to be. I had jobs in the academia realm but unfortunately these jobs weren't paying all the bills but were taking up the bulk of my time. I was tired of the cat mouse, marco polo games. I knew that I loved the lab in a clinical aspect and partially research and I loved drugs (pharmacology). As a result, I'm taking online pharmacology classes this summer in a grad level program to test the waters. If all goes well then I'll get my masters in pharmacology.

Lynn in Melbourne, Florida said:Biology is such a large field. People in my class ended up in all kinds of industry (environmental, medical laboratories, pharmaceutical, universities lab, chemical companies, clinical research). But most go for graduate schools to get more specialized education.
I worked for a CRO after finishing college but the pay is not that great. But once you get experience, you can go to pharmaceutical companies that pay more. Three technicians in my group got a job at Abbott after they did a year or two at a CRO. If you can relocate, check out these big CROs (Covance, Charles River). For entry level they will train you in one of the field - toxicology (small animal, large animal, acute, reproductive, etc), clinical chemistry,necropsy,etc..
I am not a couselor, just sharing my experience. Hopefully, others will do the same. Good luck!

sab818 in Mississippi said: AWWWW...sorry to hear that sharon; however, I feel your frustration. I've been there. As a result, I'm starting MT clinicals at a hospital based program in August and I'm paying out of pocket. I have gone back for a year myself post-bacc trying to 'find my way' so to speak b/c bio wasn't as good to me as I had expected it to be. I had jobs in the academia realm but unfortunately these jobs weren't paying all the bills but were taking up the bulk of my time. I was tired of the cat mouse, marco polo games. I knew that I loved the lab in a clinical aspect and partially research and I loved drugs (pharmacology). As a result, I'm taking online pharmacology classes this summer in a grad level program to test the waters. If all goes well then I'll get my masters in pharmacology.

Hi
what school or program are you taking to get you masters in pharmacology online

Sharon Ruth in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma said: I got my degree in Oklahoma and I have had a couple companies tell me that they will not hire anyone with a degree from an Oklahoma school. I know they can't do that, they can't say this, but they did and so here I am.

wel i guess u guys mite as wel just work at macdonalds. it's great to hear that ur counselor was such a big help at my college there's only one counselor now due to all the budget cuts, and she's to busy with an overload of paperwork that she only has time for one appt a day. im 113 on the waitlist and hope to see her in 2018. wel my advice for u pansies is to stop visiting depressing forums like this and look for a job even if it's voluteer work or go bak to skool. i had a 3.8 gpa with a degree in biology and now im my 3rd year of medical skool. yes definately the medical feild is a sure bet for u guys. or look for a job within ur local county, geared twoards environmental regulation. k hopefully one day everybody in this forum can meet up and have a big party once everybody finds a job.

B.S. = bullsh*t lol. BA isn't necessarily better though either obviously. I have a BA in Anthropology, which I at first was told would still have plenty of opportunities in since it is related to "everything", and wasn't clearly told until the end of my schooling that MORE schooling would really only be my best option, which I am really hating the idea of (along with being lied to). Really no immediate jobs available here either, except for zombie-esque type work involving data entry or some other sort of completely non-fulfilling type of work. I'm going for an environmental license now though, you only need a bachelors (in anything) and at least 32 credits of science courses to complete the program (Rutgers in New Jersey). It's an REHS license (registered environmental health & safety) for environmental health sort of things (health inspection, public health, diseases, etc). So maybe that might be an interesting option for some of you too. That's what I'm going into now, seems like a decent option with a decent amount of job opportunities attached to it. Those jobs have a lot of freedom too which is always nice, and the pay is pretty damn good as well, depending on who you end up working for. I'm into wildlife and animals too, but I don't know how I would be able to connect any of what I have to a serious job related to that.

Can't any of you go into Bioengineering? Bioinformatics is probably very lurcrative if you are good at mathematics.

I was never a science major but it has always seemed to me that biology never had any real use to the real world unless it was applied through the filters of things valued by the real word. The real world wants a tangible object that can make money (bioengineering) and the software to control it (bioinformatics).

Medical school is an option if your grades were very good.

I think a graduate degree is needed or another four year degree. Don't forget to apply for many internships and set up a promotional website etc. etc. Here's a rule of thumb, if you're getting more than 5 hours a sleep every day you are seriously doing something wrong.

I guess you could afford to be a "slacker,"Bio Major in Norristown, Pennsylvania".
You were financially prepared. There was no metion of debt on your part so I can assume you graduated debt free. No mention of a scholarship, so I can assume it was paid out of pocket by you and yours.

Being prepared financially to relocate at the drop of a hat seperates the "serious people" from the "flakes", I guess.

@Homerh I have been applying to both academia and industry labs. I'm really not sure what I'm doing wrong, is it all about who you know that will score you a chance at an interview? Any advice is greatly appreciated. A little extra info: I have applied through Quest diagnostics, VA hospitals (usajobs.gov), UCI campus/medical center, labcorp, UCLA, Howard hughes med institute, Amgen, St. Jude, City of Hope, Allergan, among others....I am also very qualified and sometimes over qualified for the positions I apply to.

I graduated with a BS in biology and BS in business in 2006. I could not find any jobs other than call centers once I got out. After 2 years of dealing with the no experience, we won't hire you line, I decided to go to graduate school. My biology advisor was pretty upfront throughout college, making it clear I would need a masters or higher in Biology to get a job in that field.

Peace Corps is also an excellent way to pursue your plans for graduate school. Masters International and Fellows/USA programs enable Volunteers to use their Peace Corps service and experience to earn credits and financial benefits toward a graduate degree.

Peace Corps’ Masters International program allows graduate students to begin their studies on campus in over 50 universities in 120 graduate degrees, subsequently earn academic credit while serving abroad as a Peace Corps Volunteer, then return to their graduate school to finish studies. This enables graduate school students to serve internationally and gain real-world global experience related to their discipline while earning credit toward their degree.

Another opportunity is pursue graduate school after you get back from Peace Corps. Returned Volunteers who have satisfactorily completed service have lifetime eligibility for the Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program through which they can receive financial benefits at over 50 universities in 140+ different graduate or doctorate degrees.

Socho, No no exam is required. You could possibly do it in 2.5 to 3 yrs but if you are working I wouldn't recommend it. Some of the courses are alot of work and studying on top of weekly assignments due. Some courses are laid back and easy going. I've only taken three classes thus far and taking two this summer. I love the program. Glad that I'm in it. Go the www.msu.edu website and look at Integrative Pharmacology professional Science Masters. They've also just launched another Pharmacology online program that's not hybrid, just pure sciences.

Your degree in Biology would qualify you for a number of paid, volunteer assignments in the Peace Corps. You would need to be willing to serve for two years at an overseas post, but you would also have all expenses paid, get a monthly stipend, loan deferral and some loan forgiveness, a $6000 bonus upon completion of service and help securing employment or a graduate school degree after you get back. Check it out... www.peacecorps.gov

I'm in the same boat with all of you guys, but I'm much older. I graduated many years ago with a BS in Biology. I was lucky and landed a pretty good job right away. However, a Grandfather clause has come out (that I missed by one year) so I am now getting laid off and cannot get another job that pays even half of what I was making . . . with just my experience in a profession I can no longer do and a BS in Biology that means nothing I'm screwed!

Actually Lake, thats not entirely true. There are many options available besides med school to become a doctor. And I'm also guessing that the reason people have posted here in the first place is because they don't plan on going to med school. I actually just had 2 interviews this week which took me 4 months to get. One is for a local biotech company and the other is for a genetics lab. The genetics lab has agreed to pay for training so that I can obtain a clinical lab license in cytogenetics. And the pay there isn't bad at all. So while med school or another health related profession is typically the reason people choose a bio major it is not your only option

I would also like to know more about this topic, because I'll be graduating next year. My GPA is currently 3.8 and I'm getting better at school, so it'll be steadily rising. I just would like to know what places would want a biology major fresh from a university?

Leperkhan in Riverside, California said: I would also like to know more about this topic, because I'll be graduating next year. My GPA is currently 3.8 and I'm getting better at school, so it'll be steadily rising. I just would like to know what places would want a biology major fresh from a university?

With such a high Gpa i would def look into medical school before i looked into getting a good paying job. Jobs really could careless about your GPA plus now a days as im finding out college students are competing with people who have been laid off and already expierenced. Your best bet is to really look into med school.

Alex in Long Beach, California said: I recently graduated from Cal. State University of Long Beach with a BS in molecular and cell biology and a minor in chemistry. I have a few years of laboratory work experience and have been looking for a full time job for about 3 1/2 months now with no luck at all. I apply to about 3 jobs every day Mon-Fri, I have been told my Cv is fairly strong as well as my cover letter. I do not have any interest in medical school nor do I have good enough grades to get into a PhD program...I worked part time throughout my college career and had a very rough semesters with deaths in the family. I am trying not to get discouraged with my job search as I strongly believe someone out there will give me a chance. Unfortunately after about 40 job applications to various lab positions and calls back I have had ZERO live interviews or even over the phone conversations with employers willing to speak with me. I owe some tuition money and my parents expect me to be able to support myself by the time summer comes....I'm not really sure what to do. It was my goal ever since a close family member of mine was diagnosed with bone cancer to pursue a career in biological sciences and to do anything to help others dealing with disease, even if it means that I play the smallest role. I'm not willing to give up this dream just yet. Any advice that anyone here can give me would be greatly appreciated. Am I doing something wrong?

No your doing nothing wrong. Im in the exact same position. B.S in biology couldn't get into med school. Im looking into the air force for officer in clinical lab even though i have no expierence in that it seems to be the only thing i can do with the my B.S.degree in biology. So I say keep at and stay encourgaged. Im trying to keep the faith that my degree was worth something.

kimberly morgan in Colorado Springs, Colorado said: With such a high Gpa i would def look into medical school before i looked into getting a good paying job. Jobs really could careless about your GPA plus now a days as im finding out college students are competing with people who have been laid off and already expierenced. Your best bet is to really look into med school.

Actually, that has been the plan. If I'm able, I wish to get my MD Phd. However, I really want to get some great quality experience working as a biologist. Thus, my biology degree won't go to waste. My wish is that by working as a biologist it'll give me an advantage over other medschool students who transfer to medschool right from their major. I've been talking to my profesors, and they say a new biology major can work in many places. However, it'll all be entry level work. My friend, profesor, and advisor told me that biotechnology is a good field with plenty of room for growth as a biologists, and he even told me he has some friends who own companies that he could talk to about my career. Anyways, to those who are worried about finding work and who are still in college finishing their major, I would suggest talking to your profesors, most of them have been in the field for decades, and they know the ropes.

Have to agree...you seem kind of stupid being that your in med school yeat you chose to be on a sight where others are looking for ideas to do with there biology degrees? I doubt you claims or you wouldn't be on here. Go play! Well theres always one. I encourage everyone to stay encourgaged. You will find something and don't believe that your degree means nothing. Im sure you all busted your ass for it.

I know how you guys feel. I graduated in 2008 and I have been looking for a job for 2 yrs with no success. My professors said that with my gpa and lab experience, I could get any entry bio/biotech position. Man are they wrong. I feel depress thinking my BS in Biotech is worthless.

Well i am a high school senior and im off to college but the college i am going to doesn't have a major of premed so i think im going to major in biology and make my way up to medical school! Is this the right path? Because i don't want it to be a waist of time!!!!!!! Please help!!!!!!!!

kiwi in Charlotte, North Carolina said: Well i am a high school senior and im off to college but the college i am going to doesn't have a major of premed so i think im going to major in biology and make my way up to medical school! Is this the right path? Because i don't want it to be a waist of time!!!!!!! Please help!!!!!!!!

You can do that way if you choose. But first, check out the medical school of your interest and see what are their prerequisites (it is never to early to plan.) As an undergraduate, make sure to take classes that will help you in med school (i.e. immunology, histology, medical genetics, etc.) Also, try to shadow a doctor if possible, b/c that is the best way to learn the ropes. Volunteer and diversify your academic portfolio. If I left anything out, I hope my peers on this website can kind-heartedly advise you.

Hey you guys! Don't get too discouraged. Right now the economy is NOT great... It's not that there's not jobs in biology related fields; There's not jobs ANYWHERE. I recently got laid off from my last two jobs due to the decline in the economy and have applied to a bank and was told I was overqualified. I've seen posts for jobs where they expect a person to a have a 4-year degree with the starting pay at minimum wage. I read things like that and I'm like, "What the fuuuuu?!" Hopefully the economy will get better soon.

Alex in Long Beach, California said: I recently graduated from Cal. State University of Long Beach with a BS in molecular and cell biology and a minor in chemistry. I have a few years of laboratory work experience and have been looking for a full time job for about 3 1/2 months now with no luck at all. I apply to about 3 jobs every day Mon-Fri, I have been told my Cv is fairly strong as well as my cover letter. I do not have any interest in medical school nor do I have good enough grades to get into a PhD program...I worked part time throughout my college career and had a very rough semesters with deaths in the family. I am trying not to get discouraged with my job search as I strongly believe someone out there will give me a chance. Unfortunately after about 40 job applications to various lab positions and calls back I have had ZERO live interviews or even over the phone conversations with employers willing to speak with me. I owe some tuition money and my parents expect me to be able to support myself by the time summer comes....I'm not really sure what to do. It was my goal ever since a close family member of mine was diagnosed with bone cancer to pursue a career in biological sciences and to do anything to help others dealing with disease, even if it means that I play the smallest role. I'm not willing to give up this dream just yet. Any advice that anyone here can give me would be greatly appreciated. Am I doing something wrong?

You are LUCKY you were able to graduate from CSULB... they aren't even taking new applicants this semester and declared every single major impacted. People that are trying to get in (like me) are screwed. Don't give up...

Eventual Biologist in Long Beach, California said: You are LUCKY you were able to graduate from CSULB... they aren't even taking new applicants this semester and declared every single major impacted. People that are trying to get in (like me) are screwed. Don't give up...

Actually since when I first posted on here until now I've had 3 interviews in the past 3 weeks. No offers yet...but it's definitely a start. I know they started furloughs my last semester (Fall 09) and stopped accepting new students for Spring. Good luck getting in and when/if you do you can always post on here for help/suggestions for selecting which professors to take. take it from me...some of them are much less than enthusiastic when it comes to being a teacher. Many of the younger professors I had which were the ebst professors have since lost their jobs due to budget cuts :(

Im currently in my 3rd year of my undergrad and i'm beginning to panic! I have always wanted to go to med school and become a doctor but Im just not getting the grades I need. I go to whittier ( a small private college) and many classes are extremely difficult. I dont know what career path to take if I cannot get into a medschool. I have great people skills but love marine/micro biology and the lab. What do i doooo?!!!!!???...please help any suggestions?

trey in Rome, Georgia said: You can do that way if you choose. But first, check out the medical school of your interest and see what are their prerequisites (it is never to early to plan.) As an undergraduate, make sure to take classes that will help you in med school (i.e. immunology, histology, medical genetics, etc.) Also, try to shadow a doctor if possible, b/c that is the best way to learn the ropes. Volunteer and diversify your academic portfolio. If I left anything out, I hope my peers on this website can kind-heartedly advise you.

Thank you very much! I just want to make sure when this is all over and done it was worth it. Now I have to look up some good Medical schools, once again thank you!!!!!!!1

Very interesting thread. My story: I was recnetly laid off from my retail managerial job that I got sucked into 8 years ago. I had been taking pre-reqs to get into nursing school (I worked as a paramedic for about years in my 20s - oh and my going to school probably made me an easy target for dismissal), but its so impacted, its unreal. I decided that now is the time to go back to school and get my degree. With my background in sciences (medicine) and food (from my retail job) I figured I'd work towards a job in public health, possibly as a health inspector. Seems like I should be shooting for a specific job when I go to school in the fall (it requires a BS in a science field - I will be going into Cal State San Marcos as a junior). If all else fails, I could see myself teaching.

Right now I am trying to decide what to declare: Biology (general), Biochem (not excited about the 2 semesters of calculus) or Biotech. I want to give myself the most amount of options, if my pursuit of public health doesn't pan out. I figure Biotech is a more sought after degree, with a lot of biotech industry on the San Diego coast, and some companies in the Inland Empire (Abbott, Millipore). But that is just my uneducated guess.
Im easily two years away from graduating and feel I will have some opportunities at interships if I work hard to acquire them.